Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically or cytologically confirmed stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
• •* Metastatic supraclavicular lymphadenopathy or malignant pleural effusion
• •* Progressive disease
• •* Must have received prior chemotherapy
• •No symptomatic brain metastases
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •18 to 75
• •Performance status:
• •ECOG 0-2
• •Life expectancy:
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic:
• •Absolute neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin no greater than 1.25 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AST and ALT no greater than 1.25 times ULN
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine no greater than 1.25 times ULN
• •Cardiovascular:
• •No prior or concurrent cardiovascular disease that would preclude study
• •Pulmonary:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •No prior or concurrent pulmonary disease that would preclude study
• •Other:
• •No prior or other concurrent illness or medical condition that would preclude study
• •No other prior malignancy except adequately treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or nonmelanomatous skin cancer
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Chemotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •No prior docetaxel
• •At least 3 weeks since other prior chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Radiotherapy:
• •Prior radiotherapy allowed
• •No concurrent radiotherapy
• •Surgery:
• •Prior radical surgery for NSCLC allowed
• •Concurrent palliative surgery allowed